Exercising & Arthritis is There a Common Link?

Exercise Enthusiasts at "Higher Risk" of Arthritis

Middle-aged men and women may be risking arthritis if they continually go overboard on their exercise regime, a new report has suggested.

People aged 45 to 55 and of a "normal" weight were found to be more likely to suffer knee damage due to a high volume of exercise.

The US study, which questioned more than 200 people, also said running and jumping was more likely to damage ligaments and cartilage than activities such as swimming and cycling.

Participants were divided into three groups depending on their rate of activity with "high activity" being described as several hours of walking or sports-based exercise per week.

After conducting MRI scans on the participants' knees, the researchers claimed lesions, tears and other knee damage were solely down to exercise and had no bearing on a person's age or weight.

Dr Christoph Stehling, who led the study at the University of California, San Francisco, said: "Our data suggest that people with higher physical activity levels may be at greater risk for developing knee abnormalities and, thus, at higher risk for developing osteoarthritis.

"This study and previous studies by our group suggest that high impact, weight-bearing physical activity, such as running and jumping, may be worse for cartilage health."